Colorless Jenna
by Scarletta24
Summary: Jenna, oh Jenna, sister of Red Riding Hood. Never heard, never seen. Except by the Big Bad Wolf. Freely independent, Jenna faces off with Wolf. When Wolf meets his untimely demise, what is Jenna to do? She is sent off to her aunt Sabrina, with only few coins and her own wits. Yet, she is unaware of a magical working taking place. One that will likely change her life forever...


Red Riding Hood: A Faerie Tale

I'm the sister of Red Riding Hood. That character no one ever knows, because it seemed like I was never a part of it all. I just stayed in the background. Like every other day. That's my life as Red's little sister. The person who will never be known throughout the history of Red Riding Hood.

I should've been the person who never was.

If you're wondering, yes, I am a little harsh on myself. But the mess-up I made. That's different. I messed up so badly, Red might never had made it out alive. That's how bad I messed up. But, I don't know why no one would believe me. People always search for other people to blame. So why didn't they blame me? Little Tommy's parents blamed Little Tommy for their bad luck. Red was only 10 when she was attacked by the Wolf. She's a nice older sister. She takes care of me, unlike my friend's older sister, who only bosses my friend around. She doesn't deserve to have to have a wild younger sister like me.

My name's Jenna. 9 years old. Black, crazy hair. Wears boys' clothing. And I don't have a special color to me. My dad wears brown. My mom wears lilac. In their time, sometimes my dad was called Running Brown, and my mom was called Lilac Gloves. They were not very good names, granted, but it still meant that all my family members had their own color. That is why I am never in the story. I am just Jenna, the colorless child. When Red was attacked, I was 9. For the same reason Red was able to go to Grandmother's house, I was sent to pick strawberries for the pie that Mother was making. Red would go to Grandmother's the next day, to keep Grandmother company, and to give her the strawberry pie. Mother's specialty.

Red was about to leave for Grandma's, and I was late in returning. As I hurried towards home, the sun glaring at me through the trees, I met Wolf.

"Hello, my little Tsubaki." Wolf said, faking a sincere smile, his true purpose showing in his bared, long, sharp teeth.

I hate that nickname, Tsubaki. Tsubaki is a scentless flower, that withers and no one notices. But I could not help, but admit that it fitted me perfectly.

I'd met Wolf before, on many occasions, and knew how to deal with him. I tried my best to calm down the fear rising in my heart and took a slow breath to calm my fast beating heart.

"Good evening, Wolf." I said calmly, showing a fake sincere smile as well.

"My, you have gotten better at controlling your fear." Wolf said, still smiling that frightening smile of his. "But I can smell it on you. I can see it in your eyes."

"I am sorry, Wolf." I said, starting to try and walk away. "But I am in a hurry to meet my mother. I must bring back these strawberries before they rot."

"Why don't I just help you?" Wolf asked. "If you give me the directions to your lovely home, I will help you bring the strawberries to your Mother. I might be able to say hello to that sweet sister of your's."

His true purpose was to… "gobble up my sister whole" as he had said, when I had first met him. He had been more cruel and less sly. Gradually, over time, he'd gotten smarter as I avoided him and tricked him in my own ways. It is my own fault that Wolf was as smart as he was now. And while I knew that it would happen, I did not think that Wolf would have been able to find Red that time. But, as Time would have it, Wolf met Red while following my false directions.

I do not know why Wolf is so concentrated on Red. I had asked him once, when he had gotten a little more sly.

"I have my own reasons." Wolf had said, clearly struggling to choose stronger words. "Your sister… she holds many of my own interests." "Interests?" I had asked.

"A mere child, like yourself, does not need to know what interests the Big Bad Wolf like me." Wolf had said, gaining a new level of knowledge. "Especially as you are human, and I am animal."

"I am not like those villagers." I answered calmly, but infuriated all the same. "I believe that animals and humans should coexist in peace, but a mere child, like me, will always be told to be silent."

"And I believe you." Wolf said, trying to sound calm, but surprise had crept into his crackly, booming voice. "Surely a child with those kinds of ideas must be listened to."

"Children should be seen and never heard." I said. "Mother constantly repeats this to my sister and I."

"And so she should." Wolf said. "Children must learn a certain degree of manners."

By this time, I had chosen to believe that Red must have finished picking flowers by then.

"Wolf, will you help me carry these flowers to my aunt in the village?" I asked innocently, my tone perfect after much practice.

"Why, of course." Wolf had replied, his tone falling flat with excitement. "What is your aunt's name?"

"Aunt Matilda." I lied. "When you enter the village, she is at the farthest end. Do take care not to be seen by the villagers. They will chase you out."

"I will try my hardest." Wolf had said, bowing. "I will be off now. Perhaps I might be able to meet your sweet sister?"

"Perhaps." I replied, lying soundly. "If you do meet her, give her my greeting."

"Of course, my Tsubaki." Wolf replied, grinning savagely. It was around this time, that Wolf had made the nickname for me. I do not recall showing what I had felt. If I had, Wolf would have told me to act more lady-like.

I was 7. Mother entrusted me with the task of collecting various fruits, nuts, and flowers. When I had first met Wolf, I was just as emotionless as I am now. I have been since birth. When I was born, I was not crying. When newborn babies do not cry, it means the newborn is sick, or had been born wrong. Mother cried. Father comforted her as Doctor checked me. But he could not find anything wrong. Mother cried in happiness and confusion. Father thanked Doctor, but all the same he asked that fateful question.

"Why is my girl not crying?" Father asked. "Most newborns cry when they are born, yes?"

"That is correct." Doctor had answered. "But there are rare cases when babies do not cry. Instead, they are born asleep, as if resting peacefully before being born too early."

"But she was not born early." Father said, confused.

"I do not know the answer." Doctor said, gravely. "Most families take this as a warning of bad luck."

Doctor had left then, taking his apprentice with him.

"I will name her Jenna." Mother said, still crying. "I wish her a happy life.

"Will not another, more traditional name suffice?" Father asked.

"No. The name is fitting." Mother had said firmly. "For once, I believe that not following tradition will be fine."

"Alright, dear." Father said, consenting. "You should get some rest."

And so I was named Jenna. The only member in my entire family to not have a traditional name. I do not know if my name will hold something special, but I dearly hope that it will not be insulting.

As I fed Wolf with lies and fake directions, Time was making his plan on a fateful encounter. One that Red and Grandmother nearly did not survive.

"Goodbye, Wolf!" I called out to him, as he stalked off with the basket in hand.

"Goodbye, my precious Tsubaki!" Wolf called back. He stalked past bushes and did not see me grit my teeth in anger.

"Worthless wolf." I whispered angrily to myself. "I hope that you will someday die a horrible death, with your prize just in reach of your mangy claws!"

I picked up a basket of strawberries I had hidden before, hurrying faster towards safety and warmth. During the winter, afternoons were especially chilly. The cloak I wore was a wide mix of colors. One of Mother's old bed sheets turned into a nice cloak. My wild hair streamed behind me as I ran. I am rather small, for a child, but I could run as quickly as the fastest boy in the village. It makes up for the constant run-ins with Wolf.

"I am back." I called out to Mother and Father, as I walked into the house. The basket, which was filled with many ripe strawberries, had just started to feel heavy as I placed it on the table.

"Welcome back Jenna!" Mother answered, stepping into the kitchen. "You came back rather late. Did something happen?"

"No, Mother." I said, lying. "I lost track of time while searching for the strawberries."

"You did find a lot." Mother said, smiling happily. "The pie turn out alright."

Since the arrival of "slang" in the village, many of the villagers, including my family, had started to talk more differently. I kept to the more formal way, as that had helped to trick Wolf. From time to time though, I will use slang to keep my family from worrying about me. Why they worry about me because of this reason, I do not know.

"I do hope so." I said, choosing to remain formal. "Your pie taste the greatest in the village."

"If you are trying to get out of your chores, then you are succeeding very well." Mother said, laughing. "Red has already left."

"I hope Grandmother's cold will get better soon." I said, mixing both ways. "I'm worried that Grandmother won't make it through her sickness this time."

"It's just a simple cold." Mother reminded me. "Your grandfather only died, because he overworked himself."

It's true. Grandfather was never mentioned, because he didn't die from an extraordinary disease. He died from overworking himself, after he had stayed out too long in the forest one winter day. One reason why I have never liked winter, despite the relief of never meeting Wolf when it snowed.

The rest of the afternoon wore on, as Mother and I worked to cook a pie for Grandmother. Eventually, Red arrived, breathless, along with the local woodsman.

"Mom!" Red said, running into the kitchen. She hugged Mother fiercely and kept hugging her. "I'm so glad I got to see you again!"

"Red? What happened?" Mother asked worriedly. To the woodsman, she asked "What happened? Red doesn't spook easily."

"She was devoured by a monstrous wolf." The woodsman calmly answered. "Luckily, I was around and cut both her and her grandma out. I believe you are her mother?"

"Yes! Thank you for rescuing her!" Mother thanked him in gratitude. "Stay for dinner!"

"I would love to stay, but I must get back to work." The woodsman said, kindly refusing. "I would love to eat the pie I've heard so much about from the village though."

"If it's not too much trouble though!" the woodsman added quickly.

"Of course not!" Mother said, smiling. "Come around tomorrow. It'll be ready then."

As the woodsman started to leave, he seemed to remember something.

"Do any of you kind folks know what Tsubaki means?" he asked.

Startled, I turned to look at him, a knife in one hand and a cut strawberry in the other.

"Why?" I asked, controlling my expression and my tone into a wondering tone.

"Before the beast had died," the woodsman answered. "he said 'Goodbye my sweet Tsubaki.' Do you know what it means?"

"Did he?" I whispered quietly to myself. Out loud, I answered "Tsubaki means a scentless flower. Why would he say that?"

"I don't know." The woodsman answered, shrugging. "I've wasted too much of your time already. I will take my leave now."

And with that, the figure of the woodsman quickly disappeared as he walk behind a cluster of trees.

"Mother, may I go out?" I asked. "I seem to have forgotten my gloves outside."

"Of course. Be sure to come back quickly though!" Mother agreed. "I don't want for you to run into trouble!"

"I will be back quickly!" I called out, as I ran out, my cloak fluttering behind me.

I ran all the way to Grandmother's house, gasping for breath as I wondered if Wolf was finally dead.

"And he died while he had gorged himself on pride too." I thought, burning with happiness. "Such a death worthy of his character!"

But at the same time, I knew that Wolf was much too smart to let himself be cut open. Why did he eat Grandmother too? Did he thought that no one would be around? Fool! Never leave Chance to bite you in the back!

Of course, it's much too late for you, I added quickly. You're already dead, as it is.

I arrived quickly at Grandmother's house, gasping for breath quickly. There was Grandmother's house, empty. It seemed that Grandmother had ran to the village for safety after being cut out. There was the window, cracked from the woodsman breaking it quickly to rescue Red and Grandmother. And there was the blood on the bed. A closer look and I found the truth for myself.

Wolf was lying there, facedown. But there was his ears, speckled with the black that no other wolf had. His gray fur, once silky, now hung in clumps, the nutrition slowly being drained. His tongue had slipped out, a startlingly bright color against the dark muzzle. Wolf was small, for a wolf that is, but he still towered easily above an adult human. Seeing him lying there, with his tail tucked instinctively between his legs before death, was one long burst of grateful gratitude.

But eventually, shame covered me from head to toe, and I felt like punching myself for my insolence. I was the one who had made Wolf and Red meet! This entire event had been my fault! Now Red was scared and scarred, and Grandma that much closer to death herself! And there was Wolf, lying shamefully in Grandmother's house. While I thought of it as a great event, Wolf must be cowering in shame, an action unbefitting of even the lowest creature.

I slowly shook myself out of my shameful trance. It was no good to feel sorry for myself. After all, I was finally rid of Wolf.

But what was this regret I have?

I quickly ran back to home, not wanting to be out any longer. The forest held dangerous animals at night, seeking an easy meal.

The rest of the night went by, as Red had continuous nightmares of Wolf devouring her. Sleep did not come easily to me either, as I remembered the last conversation I had with Wolf. Somehow, I just couldn't believe that Wolf was gone. I'd never thought that Wolf would actually devour Red with such… a simple plan. Where was the sly mind that Wolf had evolved into? Surely Wolf wouldn't make such a mistake. But… yet he did. What had happened?

Simply hearing the events would not help, but there was no other way. Thinking that, I resigned myself to a sleepless night. I know that I would have nightmares before the memory of Wolf would finally be rid of me.

Years later, as a 12 year old with more responsibilities, Mother asked the impossible of me one day.

"Jenna, I would like you to go to Aunt Sabrina." Mother asked. "You will stay there over winter to learn more about how to raise a family."

"A family?" I asked. "Mother, are you deciding on who I will marry when I come back?"

"Yes, sweetie." Mother had said sweetly.

We both knew that was a lie.

As the years went by, events of my birth had found their way into the village. Most families there were concerned with bad luck. The families who were not, were concerned by their appearance. Even if the son of a prestigious family had liked me, his parents would not allow contact between the two of us. Vice versa if it was the parents. Rarely, am I ever approached by the villagers.

Also, as the years had passed by, the village grew larger. The village, which had already been big by comparison, became even bigger as many people sought solace and peace. Eventually, the village grew to be a quiet town. Many people there never considered trampling through the forest, so my family and I were left in peace. Red went to the village often, and made many new friends. I preferred staying home and enjoying the precious time by myself. I knew that I would eventually be sent away.

"Where is Aunt Sabrina?" I asked Mother.

"In the mountains to the north. It will take a week to reach there." Mother explained. "Les if you are smart and find a faster way."

Mother had realized early that I was clever. She expected much of me. Too much.

"Mother, the mountains are harsh places to travel before and during winter." I said, suddenly fearing for my life. "Am I supposed to be able to travel there myself, with no aid?"

"Jenna." Mother said, kneeling down in front of me. "You are strong and clever. I will provide enough money for 5 days. You will need to make your own decisions for yourself."

"Yes, Mother." I said, obeying. I was grateful that Mother had at least given me a chance to survive until I reached Aunt Sabrina's house. I would not quit walking, until I died. I knew for sure that my life rest in Fate's hands. I hoped Fate would not toss me as a child tosses a broken toy.

The next day, with tearful goodbyes from Red and a solemn goodbye from Mother and Father, I left on a fateful journey to Aunt Sabrina's house in the mountains. It would not be an easy one.

As I walked through town, I bought a sturdy horse from a merchant, having already studied and picked a horse to traverse the harsh road before climbing the mountains myself. Buying enough rations to last 8 days, I considered various other needs I might have during my journey. At last, I bought a water canteen, matches for fires, and food for the horse to last 3 days.

Pulling out a map that I had bought the day before, I considered buying more food in case I would lose my way. Maps are hard to read for a girl who's life experience only lasted 12 years. However, I would follow the roads as best I could.

I loaded the horse with my meager supplies and led the horse through the quiet town. When I had finally reached the start of the long road before both the horse and I, I stopped and thought about the various ways I could die.

Knowing that life would still go on, when I died, helped to lessen the pain of possible death. However, it did not lessen the fear of that pain that will undoubtly be there at the event of my death.

Shaking my head of those dark thoughts, I pulled myself as gently onto the horse as possible. I did not want to hurt both the horse and I before the journey. After all, we both had a long way before we reached the end of our time together. I would rather spend it on good terms with the horse.

I named the horse, Tommy. In honor of Little Tommy, who is now living a happy life away from his parents, two towns over.

Tommy and I spent the next days, traveling under the cold, unrelenting sun. Every night, I'd have nightmares of being caught while asleep, the thieves slitting my throat and stealing my meager supplies.


End file.
